Pitch Us

PITCH US

Oh, hi. We didn’t see you come in. So glad you’ve found us!

Are you looking to share your articulate and well-researched musings on Mesopotamian dinosaurs, the politics of denim, the unexpected relationship between neo-conservatism and feminism, adolescent self-discovery, unlikely animal friendships, sploshing, the plight of restorative justice told through a graphic novel, the sordid history of the salt trade, racial disparity in the criminal justice system, the latest congressional health care death match . . . or anything in between?

Are you a maker? A photographer? A director? A hang-gliding genderqueer rapper? We want your stories, your inspirations, your dogged research and epiphanic insight.

The Establishment is looking to unearth overlooked stories, produce original reporting, and provide a platform for voices that have been marginalized by the mainstream media. And yes, we want your humor, wit, and good old-fashioned satire, too. We publish originally reported features, interviews, long-form journalism, personal essays, and multimedia of all shapes, sizes, and creeds.

The Nitty Gritty

We pay $125 for feature stories, op-eds, and personal essays (800-1,500 words), and $500 for a select few long-form investigative pieces that involve original reporting and at least five interviews (3,000 words). All multimedia submissions are paid for on a case-by-case basis, but we pay everyone an egalitarian rate for every contribution they make.

How to pitch:

To submit a pitch, email us at getestablished@theestablishment.co, including the word “pitch” in the subject line. If the pitch is time-sensitive, please note this in the subject line as well.

Your pitch should be 2-3 paragraphs in length and as specific as possible. Please include when applicable:

A thesis

The historical or cultural context of the piece you’re looking to write

Why your proposed piece is important

Existing research you’re looking to draw from

Potential interview subjects

Relevant information on a news hook

Expected word length

You’re also welcome to submit full-length, previously unpublished articles. When submitting, please include information on the piece in the body of the email.

If you’ve never written for us, include three links to previously published work. Do not send us zip files or Dropbox links—we won’t open them. We of course love publishing first-time writers, but in these cases, any example of writing is appreciated.

We aim to respond to pitches within two weeks. If you do not hear back in this timeframe, we’ve decided not to move forward with your story. We do read all the pitches we receive—honest!—but due to volume, we’re unable to respond to each one.

Other valuable intel:

Our audience is international and we gladly accept pitches from writers around the world. Hyperlocal news, however, is not typically relevant for us.

We love pitches that feature original reporting and research. Personal essays are also in our wheelhouse, but please make sure these will resonate not just with those who know you, but with a diverse readership—take us from the “I” to the universal.

Be as clear and specific as possible in your pitches. Thorough/compelling pitches let us know that the final product will likely be the same.

We are a women-funded-and-run company, but that certainly doesn’t mean we don’t accept pitches from cis men. If you’re pitching us, check out our website to get a feel for what we publish.

We are open to publishing previously published works; rates vary depending on the situation.